


Caffeinated Love

by MaraSenpai1997



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Caffeine Addiction (very mild), Depression (very mild), Developing Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Light Angst, M/M, Movie Reference, Movie Spoilers (harry potter), Panic Attacks (very mild), Pop Culture, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 13:18:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11533038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaraSenpai1997/pseuds/MaraSenpai1997
Summary: “What movie do you have in mind?” Yuuri questioned, sounding genuinely interested.Kicking his own ass for making his worry worse, Phichit let out a slight laugh and finally, a satisfied grin playing on his lips. “Well, I hope your sorry ass is prepared for bland characters, a love triangle and sparkling vampires.”“My sorry ass is always ready for some shitty Twilight,” Yuuri sounded genuinely excited, like a kid in a candy store. “We have to marathon that shit- I love how cringe worthy it is.”Phichit had relationships before, the longest one lasting exactly 1 month. So when he meets Katsuki Yuuri purely by chance, Phichit grabs his hand and never let go. At least tries.





	Caffeinated Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Katsuki_Yuuri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katsuki_Yuuri/gifts).



> A story about them was a long time coming, really. I have been semi-obsessed with this ship, and the prospect of it, but I was saddened by the amount of Victor with them. So, I decided to write one myself, especially after me and my friend were discussing the lack of content for the two of them (I don't read much yoi fanfiction anymore, but I recall there isn't much content for them.)
> 
> Anyway, 13k later and I whipped out a story that is way too much for a coffee shop AU. Though, in all honesty, I put way too many feelings into it. Also, I haven't written much for any of the two characters, so they probably are pretty out of character, I think.

 

Midterms were, if described in one word, hell. Phichit praised anyone who had still a regular, healthy sleeping schedule because his was non-existing. Rubbing his tired eyes, his mind tried to make sense of the mishap of letters dancing on the pages. He _hated_ Art History with a burning passion, but he only had to suck it up for a couple of weeks. Then, midterms would be finished, and Phichit could do with his books whatever his heart desired- which was probably selling it because, while setting it on fire was tempting, he was still a student with a cry-worthy student debt.

 

Staring at the page for a few more minutes, Phichit stuffed a piece of paper between the pages and closed the book. “I’m giving up,” he announced, his roommate jumping slightly by the sudden noise in the otherwise quiet dorm room.

 

“I can’t blame you,” the petite brunet grumbled, eyes raking over the same book Phichit had to ploughed through two years prior. “I regret picking arts- I should have done economics or law.”

 

Rolling his eyes, not believing his roommate for a second, Phichit checked his phone. Hissing at the bright light, he squinted his eyes, checking the time. Five ‘o clock in the night. He hadn’t slept a wink since, well, twenty hours ago? And no way in hell he was going to bed right now, he still had plenty to do. So, shower, getting dressed and inhale an insane amount of caffeine seemed to be the plan

 

“I’m going out for coffee,” he grumbled, stretching his sore back. He really should’ve invested in a proper chair. “After a shower- is there anything you want?”

 

Finally, Guang Hong looked up. He looked as dead as Phichit felt, dishevelled hair, bags underneath his eyes, any trace of happiness was completely washed off his face. Poor guy, it was his first midterm, and he was worrying his pants off. Not that Phichit wasn’t, but he wasn’t as stressed as he had been during his first year, or second. College did things to people.

 

“You know Starbucks won’t open till seven, remember?” the art student deadpanned, merciless crushing Phichit’s dreams. Despite being located in a student city, their local Starbucks didn’t open till seven, which was a terrible business move. Not that Phichit had ever minded- he usually wasn’t out of bed till seven.

 

“But-” Phichit mumbled, eyeing his so-called ‘friend’ with desperation. “Where will I get my caffeine fix?” two sets of eyes moved to their own, shitty coffee machine and Phichit shuddered. The coffee was so weak that he needed to drink a lot to get his caffeine intake- which resulted in a full bladder. A full bladder was terrible during studying.

 

A satisfied smile crawled on Guang Hong’s features, eyes brimming with life. “My boyfriend works at a coffee shop, which opens at five,” there was an evil tone laced between his words. Never before had been a 5’3” tall boy been this scary. “You could go there.”

 

Phichit knew that his roommate was repulsed by his habit of buying coffee from Starbucks instead of one of the more local chains. Especially considering the price of Starbucks, which definitely didn’t help his steadily growing debt. “But- I always go to Starbucks,” Phichit muttered, but the defeat was strong in his voice.

 

“Your choice,” Guang Hong shrugged, mindlessly flipping the page of his book. “Coffee, shitty coffee or no coffee, your pick.”

 

Sadly enough, Phichit knew the answer to that already. He simply _couldn_ _’t_ wait for Starbucks to open- seven ‘o clock was too far away; he physically wouldn’t make it. Plus, the morning rush would be insane, with nearly every student studying for their midterms.

 

“Fine,” Phichit grumbled. “Do I also have to bring your order along?”

 

Guang Hong nodded curtly, the longing for caffeine clear and bright on his face. “You would be a godsend- I feel like _dying._ ”

 

Rolling his eyes, his roommate was way too dramatic, Phichit finally slid out of his chair. “I just realised something,” he pointed out, a small grin playing on his lips. “I can finally meet your boyfriend- the one you refuse to introduce me to.”

 

This didn’t even seem to phase Guang Hong. “Oh yeah, that’s terrifying,” the brunet mumbled, not even looking up. “I’m so _scared_ that our four-year relationship will be destroyed because no other than Phichit Chulanont graces Leo with his presence.”

 

“Why are you so sarcastic? I want my cute and sweet Guang Hong back,” a small blush painted Guang Hong’s cheeks pink.

 

“Midterms happened,” the art student answered. “Now, go shower and fetch that coffee, you aren’t the only caffeine addict here.”

 

“I know you love me,” Phichit singsonged, rummaging through his closet for clean clothes. “You just have to realise it- maybe you _are_ the one swept off his feet by my presence.”

 

Unsurprisingly, Phichit was hit by a well-aimed throw pillow, fitting name. “Get the coffee, Chulanont,” Guang Hong hissed, downright glaring at him. “And stop acting so happy- you’re as sleep deprived as I am- that doesn’t give you the right to be Mr Sunshine.”

 

Like as if he was actually Mr Sunshine. It was that after two-and-a-half year of college, you easily found joy in the small things. Because, in all honesty, college wasn’t exciting. It was tiresome, frustrating and they still didn’t learn you how to pay taxed or how to buy a house.

 

~*~

 

Phichit did, in fact, not like the winter. It was cold, snow was all fun and games till you had to travel right through it and if you accidentally fell asleep outside, you would _die_. But it also had its pros. Nothing, in his opinion, beat the feeling of entering a warm shop, being greeted by the sweet scent of hot chocolate, fresh peppermint and the soft droning of some Indie music.

 

There was literally no-one in the shop when Phichit slipped inside, immediately enjoying the warmth. It was a small shop, crammed with tables and chairs. It felt a bit look home, the personal touch the sleek interior of Starbucks lacked. The barista- there was only one- hadn’t moved an inch since Phichit had entered the shop, and he was pretty sure the bell had jingled. On the other hand, Phichit barely could blame the barista. It was early and surely, if they were a student, they also would have midterms coming up.

 

“Excuse me,” Phichit cleared his throat, putting up his best smile. Never underestimate the chance of romance while meeting a coffee shop.

 

The person with the mop of black hair mumbled, stirring awake. The barista had _actually_ been asleep, which was utterly endearing. After a few seconds, Phichit corrected his statement. The _barista_ was endearing. Messy black hair, pale skin, droopy brown eyes that were framed by glasses, who were placed askew on his nose, soft pink lips and adorable red cheeks. He probably was around Phichit’s age, though looking a bit on the younger side. Definitely a student. Sweet.

 

“Morning,” the barista mumbled, pushing his glasses up to rub the sleep out of his eyes. “How can I help you?”

 

Walking up to the counter, Phichit propped his elbows on the wooden surface. “Technically, it’s still night,” Phichit pointed out, flashing the barista the brightest smile he could muster. “But nevertheless, I’m here for coffee.”

 

The barista nodded, and Phichit sought out a name tag. If this was Leo, Phichit was forever going to be jealous of Guang Hong.

 

“Okay,” the barista muffled a yawn. “What can I get you?”

 

Clearing his throat, Phichit unfolded the note Guang Hong had given him. “One Latte Macchiato, as much caffeine as legally possible, please, and two Caffè Mocha and…”

 

Tapping his lip with his finger, Phichit let his gaze wander over the menu. “What do you recommend?”

 

The barista shrugged. “Depends on what you like? Sweet stuff? A lot of caffeine? A Frappuccino?”

 

“You sell Frappuccino’s?” Phichit asked excitedly.

 

“No,” the barista laughed tiredly, shaking his head in annoyance. “We’re a coffee shop, not a Starbucks. But, what do you like, aside from those sugar bombs?”

 

In all honesty, Phichit wasn’t even the biggest fan of Frappuccinos. He lived on caffeine and not sugar, that was more Guang Hong’s thing. Yet, Phichit was the Starbucks fan. “Well…” Phichit started. “What’s your favourite?”

 

“Cappuccino,” the barista answered, stifling another yawn. “Loads of caffeine and I like the texture better than normal coffee.”

 

Offering the barista a smile, Phichit nodded. “Okay, add a Cappuccino to that, and we’re done.”

 

It didn’t take the barista too long to fix up all the drinks. By the looks of, he worked here for years, handling the machines with a precise care that showed experience. Grabbing a carton, the barista placed the cups in place, scribbled hurried names on the cups.

 

“One Cappuccino,” the barista started, putting the first cup in the carton. “Two Caffè Mocha and one Latte Macchiato with an insane amount of caffeine- but it’s still legal.”

 

Phichit paid for the coffee, which was for once not all that expensive. It still wasn’t cheap- but his wallet was for once not weeping. “Can I have the receipt- my roommate has to pay me back.”

 

The barista hummed and handed Phichit the receipt. “Long night?” he questioned, actually smiling. “I have never seen you before, so I assume you usually go to Starbucks and in all honesty, students who are out of their bed before six often haven’t slept in one that night.”

 

“Yes, midterms,” Phichit admitted, tucking the receipt safely away in his wallet. “I gave up around five, and my roommate bullied me into buying my coffee here, as the shop was actually open.”

 

Humming appreciatively, the barista fiddled with a napkin, looking slightly nervous. Well, if all the baristas were this cute Phichit would make it a habit to visit this shop. “Anyway- I have to go. My roommate probably will die if he doesn’t get his daily dose of sugar.”

 

“Okay, well, have a good day,” the barista seemed to be more at ease, no longer abusing the napkin. “Good luck with midterms.”

 

It was surprisingly easy to smile brightly at the barista, who seemed to be slightly taken aback by the amount of earnest Phichit’s smile radiated. “Same to you,” Phichit chimed, plucking the Cappuccino out of the carton and putting it down on the other. “And keep this one, it doesn’t look like you have touched your bed in the last twenty-four hours either, you might need it.”

 

The barista’s face caught flames, a look of surprise gracing his features. But instead of hanging around, pestering a name or number out of the man, Phichit turned around and left the shop, waving his goodbye as he entered the cold winter air.

 

~*~

 

 

“Okay, as of now,” Phichit started, sipping his Latte. “You got me convinced to give up on Starbucks.”

 

Apparently, Guang Hong didn’t saw it coming as the brunet choked on his Mocha. “What?” he croaked, eyes swimming with tears. “Did you just say you’ll give up on your Starbucks addiction? How? Did your wallet whisper that to you?”

 

Chuckling, Phichit shook his head. “A cute barista did,” he explained, watching Guang Hong’s face morph from shock to a certain degree of hostility.

 

“I have no idea if Leo has a shift today,” Guang Hong hissed, straight up glaring daggers at him. “But if you flirt with him, I’m calling the cops on you.”

 

It was an empty threat, and Phichit knew that, but it seemed the lack of sleep made his roommate a lot crankier and insecure, which also resulted in a more protective mindset.

 

“Well, he didn’t wear his name tag, so I don’t know his name,” Phichit grumbled in frustration, wishing he would have stayed longer to catch a name. “But he has dark hair, dark eyes,” Guang Hong seemed to grow paler by the second. “Pale skin, glasses, he’s taller than I’m by quite a bit, about three inches.”

 

By the looks on Guang Hong’s face, it wasn’t Leo. The brunet looked relieved, returning to sipping his sugar bomb. “That’s Yuuri,” he said after a while, gazing purposely avoiding Phichit’s. “Third year pre-med student, loves animals, wants to become a vet, single and foremost, _gay_.”

 

Now it was Phichit’s turn to be surprised, though he thankfully wasn’t choking on his drink like Guang Hong had. “Gay, really?” he questioned, ignoring his rapidly beating heart. It almost sounded like a dream come true. A cute gay guy who loved animals, was smart because damn, _pre-med_ , and foremost, was _single_. Who in their right mind let this guy be single.

 

“Yes- Leo told me,” a surprisingly gentle grin graced Guang Hong’s features. “But be warned- I also recall Leo telling me that Yuuri isn’t the one who jumps in a relationship with strangers- after all, you clearly aren’t the first one to find Yuuri… cute?”  


 

“Adorable,” Phichit confirmed, mentally taking a note of the information. He knew that in the past, he had fewer issues with this kind of things. Meet a cute girl or guy at the party, flirt, going out on a few dates and decided that things weren’t working out. But a friendship based relationship was usually stronger, as you already had found common ground amongst each other. You only had to look at Guang Hong and Leo, Phichit barely knew the latter. The two, according to Guang Hong, knew each other from the wee age of four, became friends, then best friends and lovers in the end. Knowing someone for sixteen years was a long time, a long time to develop a relationship.

                                  

“Thanks, for the information,” Phichit eventually admitted, reluctantly. “Though why are you sharing this with me?”

 

“Because if things work out, you own me quite some favours, and I might finally have Leo over here without you intruding,” _that_ was something Phichit definitely didn’t want to know.

 

“Spare me the details, please,” Phichit whined, feeling a warm flush crawling up his neck. “I’m not interested in your… life behind the doors.”

 

Guang Hong rolled his eyes, flipping the bird at him. “Please, when I arrived here for the first time, you were making out with some guy.”

 

Oh, right. He had forgotten about it. “Yeah, let’s forget about that,” Phichit muttered, regretting that. It wasn’t like that relationship got anywhere, expect from in the trash can.

 

“I’m still trying,” Guang Hong whispered, staring into the distance with a nullified expression. That might have been the worst first meeting in the history of first meetings. On the other hand, Phichit didn’t try to kill Guang Hong, so it wasn’t _that_ bad.

 

~*~

 

Phichit was in a surprisingly good mood considering that midterms would start next week and the last thing he wanted to do was run _errands_ for Leo and his boyfriend.

 

Yes, _Leo._ He _finally_ got the opportunity to meet Leo. Not planned because, of course, Phichit did not _live_ in that shop. He might visit it more frequently before- scrap that, he visited it daily. His wallet didn’t mind, and so didn’t his heart because, well, Katsuki, you’re way too cute for this world, Yuuri. When not fully sleep deprived, Yuuri was a delight to talk with. It helped that Phichit had toned down the flirting, recalling Guang Hong’s words. First friendship, then maybe a relationship.

 

Meeting Leo had been exciting, his laid back, more calm personality worked well with Guang Hong’s more hyperactive personality. Also, the two of them were a disgustingly cute couple. Phichit already got cavities by imagining the two together, cuddling and being all sweet and gross. But in the end, he was stuck with an extra cup of coffee- he wasn’t even sure what it exactly was, with the hint of ‘you know for who it is’, which wasn’t much of a hint, at all. But hey, if he didn’t find said person, Phichit would have free coffee, and nobody said ever no to free coffee.

 

Carrying the carton with coffee, Phichit slipped into the library, trying not to make too much noise. It was crowded inside; the tables were cluttered with people cramming for the last few days before hell started. Phichit understood the appeal, it was calming but not quiet, there was a continuous stream of noises, the scratching of pens, the rustling of paper, the typing of keys. It was almost therapeutic.

 

Making his way through the mazes of tables, Phichit eventually found Guang Hong hunched over his laptop, feverishly messing around with Photoshop. Phichit had given the poor brunet a crash course not even a week ago, helping him with the basic filters, cutting and layering for some kind of project.

 

“I got your sugar bomb,” Phichit whispered, placing one of the cups next to Guang Hong. “Greetings of your boyfriend- he wanted to add kisses, but I doubt you want to be kissed by me.”

 

Guang Hong looked up with a grateful smile. He looked tired- even more tired than he had when he had left the dorm room. He probably was stressing like crazy, which would surprise no-one. “Thanks,” the brunet whispered, picking up the cup and drowning half the cup in one go. “I needed it.”

 

“In all honesty, you look like you still need it,” Phichit chuckled.

 

“Maybe,” Guang Hong admitted. “So, happy you met Leo?” the brunet questioned, a cryptic look on his face.

 

Phichit shrugged. “He fits you- I think, he seems like a nice guy, but,” grimacing, Phichit showed the other cup to his roommate. “He also said I had to deliver this to someone, but I have no idea _who_.”

 

A sly smile greeted Phichit, and he saw Guang Hong’s eyes flash over to someone behind Phichit. “What is it?” the same eyes were now settled on the cup.

 

Checking the cup, Phichit found _Cappuccino_ hastily scribbled on the white cup. “Cappuccino?” he questioned, unsure if what to do with the information.

 

“Seven tables down, he’s hard to miss,” Guang Hong grinned, a grin Phichit was familiar with. It was a smile he sported himself when he was being smug about something, usually involving pestering his current roommate or old roommate about romance. Was Guang Hong trying to set him up? With who?

 

“Well, good luck with your studies,” Phichit eventually murmured, realising his presence wasn’t exactly welcoming. Everyone was already cramped together and having people goofing around did not help with the claustrophobic feeling the room was already giving off. “Dinner is ready around seven- text me if you won’t make it.”

 

Guang Hong hummed in confirmation and returned to his laptop, looking ready to drop dead, cry, or both.

 

Listening to Guang Hong’s instructions, Phichit wandered down the aisle, counting the tables. The seventh table was as cramped as the others, but he spotted a familiar mop of black hair hunching over a large medical textbook. Of course, it was Yuuri, the guy was a pre-med. He put more efforts in his studies than probably he and Guang Hong combined, and neither of them were slackers.

 

Manoeuvring between the chairs, Phichit eventually managed to reach Yuuri. Tapping the man’s shoulder, Phichit put on his best, comfortable smile.

 

It took Yuuri a bit before turning around. The student looked tired, which was no surprise. Hair messy, glasses pushed high on the bridge of his nose- a tick it seemed as he immediately scrunched face, letting the glasses slide down a little. “Phichit,” he whispered, eyes filled with surprise. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Your coworker was worried,” he answered, showing Yuuri the cup. “Send me as a delivery boy, helps that my roommate was also here.”

 

Yuuri blinked stupidly, staring at the cup in surprise. “Oh,” he mumbled, accepting the cup. “Leo, I guess.”

 

“Yup,” Phichit popped the p, enjoying seeing Yuuri smile a little. “But I’m running- I still have to do groceries, cook for like five days because I’m not going to live on an instant noodles diet again.”

 

To his surprise, Yuuri chuckled, a brighter smile gracing his tired features. “We all went through that stage,” he mumbled. “But I guess that’s what I’ll be eating unless my roommate decides to cook.”

 

Phichit was about to invite him over, but in the end decided against it. Too forward, too fast. Even if he didn’t end up having romantic feelings for Yuuri, which was plausible, he still could be friends with the man. It would be a shame if he would ruin all those chances if he pushed too hard.

 

“That sucks,” he admitted, wrinkling his nose to show his disgust. “You can always grab some fast food. Cramming isn’t healthy anyway so the food shouldn’t matter that much.”

 

It was stupid to realise that Yuuri’s smiles did things to his heart. He hadn’t been crushing on somebody like this since, well, forever. Maybe this is why relationships build out of friendship were stronger than random hookups and physical attraction. Even if things didn’t work out romantically, this might be a friendship he would treasure forever. Which means he was still in debt by Guang Hong, and probably Leo as that guy surely was involved in this whole shebang.

 

“In all honestly, nearly everything is more appealing than instant noodles,” Yuuri cringed slightly at his own words. “Though I wouldn’t recommend an all McDonald diet. I’m still sick of a one-day diet. I can’t look at chicken nuggets the same way anymore.”

 

Grimacing, Phichit recalled his own regrets with fast food, though this was more related to an ‘eat as much Taco Bell as possible’ diet, which resulted in him puking out his guts in the bathroom. Never again. “I feel you,” he admitted. “But I’ll leave for real this time- you have to cry over your textbooks and dinner doesn’t make itself, sadly enough.”

 

This earned him another laugh, which was definitely worth it. “Well, see you next time. Thanks for the coffee,” Yuuri lifted his cup in a manner that was probably a goodbye wave.

 

“Well, your co-worker paid for it, so,” ignoring the flush painting his cheeks dark, Phichit waved a quick goodbye and left the library. His cause of death probably would be his ridiculously stupid crush on Yuuri, which he wouldn’t have expected, at all. Drinking too much? A possibility. Falling asleep outside during the winter? More likely that he liked to admit. Die from sleep deprivation? Likely. Die from a crush on Yuuri? Apparently, the highest chance of an early death.

 

~*~

 

Midterms had been hell, but Phichit had a good feeling about it. He probably would at least pass everything, some grades better than others, but he would pass, and foremost, he could relax. Instead of cramming each waking second he could sleep in, watch some Netflix and just wind down from the stress. That he had free time, however, didn’t mean he appreciated it when he was called out of bed at one in the middle of the night, especially on the day he had _work_. The bookstore wasn’t going appreciate him walking around like a mindless zombie, crash into book piles and probably misplacing books. Nonetheless, despite having work in, like, eight hours, he was standing outside a frat house, dressing in sweatpants, slippers, oversized hoodie and a monstrous bedhead.

 

Shooting Leo a text that he was there, Phichit squinted at the bright lights, head aching slightly from the loud thumping of the music. The people in there must be pretty drunk to actually enjoy such a party.

 

After five minutes, Leo and Guang Hong came stumbling out of the house. Well, Guang Hong was swaying, holding onto Leo for his dear life. Leo just looked a tad flustered, probably a bit intoxicated but not too bad.

 

“Thanks for coming,” Leo said in relief, handing his overly drunk boyfriend to Phichit. “I promised to bring him home, but apparently someone spiked the punch, and I didn’t dare to, you know,” Leo made a vague hand gesture, but Phichit got it.

 

Wrinkling his nose, the smell of alcohol was rather strong, Phichit opened the car door and dropped Guang Hong on the backseat. “Did he puke already?” he asked, seeking out a bag his roommate could use if necessary.

 

“Yes, thankfully,” Leo still looked like Phichit had single-handedly saved his grandmother’s life or something.

 

After buckling in Guang Hong, his roommate wasn’t very responsive at all, Phichit threw the door close with an annoyed sigh. “You get shotgun,” he said to Leo. “Don’t feel guilty, I’m happy you called. Rather having to pick you two up at one-thirty in the night then get a call that you two ended up in the hospital in the morning.”

 

“Hence why I called,” Leo admitted, slipping into the seat. “Also Guang Hong had mentioned you had a car- my roommate doesn’t have a car so I couldn’t call him.”

 

Nodding, Phichit started the engine and manoeuvred his way out of the overcrowded street. He rather had parked elsewhere, but Leo had mentioned Guang Hong was pretty drunk, so a long distance walking would be an issue. “You’re okay to let your car here?” Phichit questioned, realising that Leo had picked Guang Hong up and there was no public transport close by.

 

“Motor,” Leo corrected. “I’ll pick it up tomorrow- bribe a friend in driving me to here probably.”

 

Of course, Leo had to drive a motor. If he didn’t know better, the brunet could have been some kind of delinquent. His longish hair helped, and so did the motor. All that was missing was, well, smoking, tattoos, drugs, a leather jacket and the lack of any treating presence at all. Leo was one those guys you would bring home to your family without any hesitation and be proud of him.

 

“Where do you live anyway?” Phichit questioned after a while, deciding that he would drop Guang Hong off at first. Leo wasn’t going to stay at their place, not that there was much space for that. It was a mess, reminders of midterms findable everywhere. “And no- I’m not letting you walk home, whenever you are intoxicated or not.”

 

“It’s only a couple of blocks down from where you two live, it shouldn’t be an issue,” Leo mumbled but thankfully, he already accepted defeat. Phichit might not be the most responsible adult, but he wasn’t going to let a far from threatening looking guy walk home alone in the middle of the night.

 

It wasn’t much of a task of getting Guang Hong in bed. The brunet was feather light, and with the combined powers of Phichit and Leo, it wasn’t hard to drag the student up the stairs. The trip to Leo’s place was indeed only a couple of blocks down the street. It probably was a sister complex of Phichit’s, as the interior looked exactly the same.

 

Without much of a question, Phichit followed the brunet upstairs, making sure he would _actually_ make it home. After all, Leo wouldn’t be the first one to lock himself out of his room without a roommate home.

 

Rummaging through his pockets, Leo paled slightly. “Forgot my key, it seems,” the brunet muttered, searching his empty pockets once again. “Figures- _that_ _’s_ why you shouldn’t carrying around two keys, higher chance of forgetting one.”

 

Leo probably was one of those people who didn’t have to his house key attached to their car- well, motor in this case- key. Which had both its advantages and disadvantages it seemed.

 

“You can crash the couch,” Phichit mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. He surely could make some room on the couch, maybe find some old pillow and a blanket. And otherwise, a throw pillow had to do the job.

 

However, Leo just shook his head and knocked on the door, waiting patiently. Was Leo seriously expecting his roommate to be still awake? Any sensible person was either partying it up or would be asleep.

 

But after a bit, a light flickered on, there was shuffling of feet, and there was a soft click. Leo’s roommate _was_ awake, as Phichit didn’t believe someone could be woken up by such a subtle knock.

 

The door was pushed open, revealing a familiar mop of black hair. _Yuuri_. Of course, Yuuri had to be Leo’s roommate.

 

“Forgot your key again?” Yuuri questioned, stifling a yawn. He was wearing some sweatpants and a shirt, which must be cold. A slightly familiar book was tucked underneath his arm, but Phichit couldn’t place it. Well, that happens when you work in a bookstore, everything looks familiar, but none of the titles stuck.

 

“Yes,” Leo admitted embarrassingly. It seemed that Yuuri hadn’t noticed him yet, which meant he could still slip away.

 

Yuuri sniffed, eyebrows pinching together in a frown. “Did you drink?” he questioned darkly.

 

“It was an accident!” Leo exclaimed in a hurry. “Somebody spiked the punch- but I got someone else to drive us home.”

 

Phichit’s idea to escape- he wasn’t particularly in the mood to meet Yuuri like this, he looked like a total slob- was thrown out of the window when Leo yanked him out of the shadows into the light.  

 

“This is Phichit- Guang Hong’s roommate,” Leo explained in a hurry. “He drove us home.”

 

A blush painted Yuuri’s neck and cheeks red. The surprise on his face wasn’t hard to find, and in all honesty, Phichit couldn’t blame him. “Ah, we’ve met before,” Yuuri admitted, smiling shyly. “Though, did you go to the party like that?”

 

Grinning at the teasing that laced between Yuuri’s words, Phichit shook his head. “No- they woke me up. I’m still sleeping the stress of midterms off.”

 

“Tell me about it,” Yuuri returned chipper. “I’m catching up with my readings, the sole reason I’m still awake,” he held up the book, flashing the cover briefly to Phichit. Oh, he _did_ recognise it. Time to save that information for later.

 

Leo had disappeared inside the room, probably not wanting to deal with Yuuri’s scolding for now, which meant the two of them were alone for now.

 

“So, you’re Leo’s roommate?” he asked curiously. That’s maybe why Leo knew so much about Yuuri, as surely any sensible person wasn’t going to share a tonne of personal information with _just_ their co-workers.

 

“Yes, for a year-and-a-half,” Yuuri said, sounding rather fond of having Leo as his roommate. Phichit could hardly blame him, the brunet seemed to be a nice guy. “And you’re rooming with Guang Hong?”

 

“Yup,” Phichit popped the ‘p’, offering Yuuri a grin. “So we’re both stuck with those love birds?”

 

Returning the grin, Yuuri shrugged. “It seems so.”

 

An awkward silence fell between them. Phichit was itching to go back to bed, sleep a few hours before he was stuck in the bookstore for the remainder of the weekend. It also seemed that Yuuri wanted to return to his book.

 

In all honesty, Phichit had expected _he_ would be the one asking the question. Maybe not now, but surely in the future. But it seemed that Yuuri beat him to the bush by a longshot. “So, do you want to trade numbers?” the student suggested, digging up his phone. “In case something happens to those two,” he added in a hurry, cheeks stained red.

 

“Sure, uhm, give me your phone?” now he was sure _he_ was blushing. Usually, it was so easy to talk to people, to _flirt_ with them. But maybe Yuuri is hard to get along with. Or, perhaps, for the first time, he had found someone he wanted more from than a fling or an acquaintance like relationship. Maybe for the first time, he actually wanted to grab someone’s hand and never let go.

 

The two of them swapped numbers, and Phichit hurried back home, hoping to catch a few more hours of sleep before he had to get up for work. In all honesty, he rather had stayed behind, chat with Yuuri, get to know the man better. But, he had the feeling this wouldn’t be the last time they would meet, especially now they found something in common. Their roommates _dated_ each other.

 

~*~

 

Phichit was slightly disappointed that Yuuri didn’t bother to contact him, at all. Yes, there were the holidays, Christmas and New Year- but maybe a hi would have been nice. On the other hand, they hadn’t swapped numbers to chat with each other, it was more like an emergency number, in case one of their roommates was an idiot. Which, apparently, was today.

 

Lounging on the couch, Phichit scrolled through Netflix, deciding what movie he was going to watch on this lonely day. He didn’t dislike Valentine’s day, it was a nice day, _especially_ if you had a partner or single friends. But most of his friends were busy being all grossly in love and unlike his previous roommate, Guang Hong wasn’t single. This meant Phichit couldn’t spend the day of love moping around with his roommate and stuff himself with chocolate.

 

Removing another Valentine-themed movie from his recommending, Phichit wondered if he just could start re-watching Games of Thrones. Maybe that was for the best, as apparently everything was aimed at either the couples or the sad and slightly pathetic singles.

 

His boredom was saved by his phone ringing. Diving for it, Phichit hoped that one of his friends had decided that spending Valentine’s day with friends was much nicer than with their boy- or girlfriend. Accepting the call, he flopped back on the couch with a stupid smile on his face.

 

“Phichit speaking, how are you doing on this wonderful day of love? How can I help you?” now he hoped that this wasn’t work calling because he would be severely fucked. On the other hand, it seemed that his coworkers liked his slightly sarcastic humour.

 

The line remained silent for a tad too long, making him worry if it was _actually_ his work. He hoped not, he liked working in the bookstore a lot more than his previous job at Target. Opening his mouth, reading to apologise, the line suddenly came back to life. An absolutely adorable laughed ringed through the speaker.

 

“It sounds like,” the same person stuttered after a while, voice still shaking from laughter. “You’re trying to sell me something- what the fuck was that Phichit?”

 

In all honesty, Phichit had no idea who it was, not that he was in the right mindset to figure that out. His heart was pounding like crazy, his stomach churned in a warm, almost comfortable way. Fondness, probably. The same fondness he had when he played with his little cousins- only he _knew_ them.

 

“Who… am I speaking?” he eventually asked slowly, not daring to look at the caller’s id. He was such an idiot.

 

The caller’s laughter faded away, an odd silence followed. “Seriously, Phichit,” the person deadpanned, and he basically could imagine the man rolling his eyes. “Didn’t you check your caller id? What if I was your boss?”

 

“Then I might have been fired,” Phichit admitted, chuckling awkwardly. “But I risked it.”

 

“Lucky you I’m not your boss- it’s Yuuri, Leo’s roommate?” Phichit definitely didn’t need the extra information. _Of course,_ he knew who Yuuri was. It was the guy he was stupidly crushing on for at least three months.

 

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Phichit tried not to sound too disappointed. It was just a stupid crush. “How many Yuuri’s do you think I know?” he teased, a small smile on his face. It wasn’t like the other could see it, but it helped to brighten his mood somewhat.

 

“I guess one? The reason I called, is, well… Wait, please tell me I didn’t call you during a date?” Yuuri sounded slightly panicky, which wasn’t really surprising. He would panic too if he called someone during their expensive Valentine dinner.

 

Did Yuuri seriously think he was out on a date? He was pretty sure he had dropped a few hints that he was single and ready to mingle, well, specifically with Yuuri. Maybe he should have been less subtle- on the other hand, he might look pushy if he did that. “Nope, chilling on the couch and scrolling through Netflix. Guang Hong isn’t home, so I have the place all to myself.”

 

“Thank heavens- I completely had forgotten it was Valentine’s Day and I could imagine you have a date and such,” Yuuri’s babbling was cute if it didn’t sting. It was clear as day that Phichit wasn’t showing that he was interested in Yuuri. Maybe he should flirt more, but he didn’t want to push, afraid of destroying any chance he has. Why was romance so complicated? “But, can I crash at your place? Leo kicked me out of mine with only my phone on me- I can’t go anywhere, and I know you live close-by.”

 

It was almost like a dream come true. Spending Valentine day together with Yuuri. Only this was purely platonic.

 

“You know where it is?” Phichit heard himself ask, voice trembling slightly. Damn it- this was stupid. He should just either ask Yuuri out or give up on his crush because this was hard.  Hard not to flirt with Yuuri, gradually build a relationship and hold back.

 

“I think I do,” Yuuri answered in all honesty. “I’ll call you if I get lost...” his voice faltered as if he was hesitant to ask something. “Hey, Phichit, are you okay?”

 

Placing his phone on his chest, Phichit sighed and rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands. He wasn’t okay, at all. “It’s kind of pathetic that I’m so hung up about this,” he eventually admitted, hoping that Yuuri still could hear him. “I can’t even maintain a relationship long enough for Valentine’s day- heck, the longest relationship I had was a month and that was because we barely saw each other due to conflicting schedules. I hate this holiday.”

 

“It’s okay to be single, you know?” Yuuri’s voice sounded far away. “Also, it’s okay to feel lonely,” the words stung, at lot. Was he lonely? Kind of. He did have friends, but he wasn’t very close to anyone. In the previous two years, he had spent a lot of his time with his roommate, but Guang Hong was in a relationship and couldn’t spend all his free time with him, which was perfectly reasonable.

 

He wasn’t crying, his eyes weren’t even damp, but a broken sob escaped his parted nonetheless. “I hate being alone- it’s stupid, it’s so stupid, but I’m someone who thrives on human interaction. I can’t stand being alone, unable to talk to anyone at all, even if it’s for a few hours. I-”

 

Now Yuuri probably thought he was too difficult to deal with, too difficult to even form a friendship with. Who wanted a clingy friend after all?

 

“Well, you aren’t alone right now, are you?” Yuuri’s voice was a soft whisper, tender and calming. “I’ll be there in five minutes, and we can spend all evening sulking over food and a movie if you want.”

 

“Are you sure you’re pre-med and not studying psychology?” Phichit whispered, already feeling loads better.

 

Yuuri’s adorable laughter filled up the empty room and, to say it in the clichés way possible, warmed his heart. “Definitely not- I just can relate. Sometimes you think being alone is fine, but it isn’t. We all need people in our lives, people who care about you, people who support you.”

 

“Definitely psychology,” Phichit chuckled. “But are you sure you want to watch movies with me? I have a habit of picking terrible ones and bash them during the whole run.”

 

“Well, in all honesty, I do the same,” Phichit felt his heart flutter. He shared something with Yuuri, a mutual interest.

 

Biting his lip in worry, Phichit wondered if he should be somewhat tame around Yuuri when it came to the film choice. Maybe a decent superhero movie- definitely not the Green Lantern, maybe Harry Potter? There were always flaws to point out, even if there weren’t many.

 

“What movie do you have in mind?” Yuuri questioned, sounding genuinely interested.

 

Kicking his own ass for making his worry worse, Phichit let out a slight laugh and finally, a satisfied grin playing on his lips. “Well, I hope your sorry ass is prepared for bland characters, a love triangle and sparkling vampires.”

 

“My sorry ass is always ready for some shitty Twilight,” Yuuri sounded genuinely excited, like a kid in a candy store. “We have to marathon that shit- I love how cringe worthy it is.”

 

Phichit didn’t respond for a long time, but his slightly dejected mood from before had completely vanished. He was going to spend Valentine’s day with his crush bashing one of his favourite, guilty pleasure movies. Best first date ever- even if it wasn’t a first date.

 

~*~

 

**Yuuri [17:10]:** I need a favour from you.

 

**Yuuri [17:10]:** Like, a huge favour, two actually.

 

**Yuuri [17:11]:** I’ll explain later, just...

 

**Yuuri [17:17]:** 1, act as if you’re into men.

 

**Yuuri [17:21]:** 2, please come over and flirt with me.

 

Those were the five weirdest texts Phichit had ever gotten- and he had been drunk texted before. For starters, Yuuri asked him to act as if he was into men- he was most definitely into men, and women, and nearly everything that fell in between. Secondly, nobody before had actually asked him to flirt with them- even if it was pretended. And foremost, lastly, which might be the most astonishing thing; even in distress, which Yuuri obviously was, he still used proper spelling and punctuation. Phichit’s punctuation was terrible even if he tried.

 

“Guang Hong, could you keep an eye on the food?” the brunet in question looked up from the dining table, a slightly bewildered look on his face.

 

“Sure,” the brunet mumbled sceptically. “Why?”

 

Phichit shrugged, not even sure why Yuuri send him this request. He wasn’t going to complain- he and Yuuri had gotten a lot closer since Valentine. They probably had talked more in the last couple of weeks than the first three months they knew each other. “He texted me to come over to the shop- he sounded pretty distressed.”

 

Thankfully, Guang Hong just nodded and got off his seat. “Okay, go help your boyfriend or whatever- I’ll make sure our food doesn’t wither away.”

 

Smiling gratefully, Phichit grabbed a coat and left the dorm room in a hurry.

 

After a short trip to the coffee shop, Phichit would forever deny he had been hurrying, he put on the brightest and most real smile he could muster. This should be easy; he was in his element. Being somewhat flirty with people, Yuuri should be no difference.

 

Pushing open the door, a familiar jingled echoed through the otherwise nearly empty shop. Yuuri was running the counter, looking very uncomfortable. On one of the barstools sat a man, probably their age, who seemed to be very interested in Yuuri. God, the man was _flirting_ with Yuuri, and Yuuri clearly didn’t appeared to be happy about it.

 

“Hey babe,” Phichit announced cheerfully. “Sorry that I’m so late,” he checked the time, it was a little past five-thirty. “Assignment took me ages, and then my roommate texted me to do last minute groceries, you know how it goes,” sending a brilliant bright both men’s way, Phichit walked over to the counter, leaning against it in a familiar fashion.

 

“No worries...” Yuuri stuttered, his face started to resemble a tomato. “Though remember what I said about pet names in public?” thankfully, Yuuri had managed to stabilise his voice.

 

Rolling his eyes, Phichit let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. “Babe isn’t even that bad,” he protested. “I also could call you sweetie- or sugarplum. Honeybuns also has a nice ring to it,” he sends an easy wink Yuuri’s way.

 

“No nicknames,” Yuuri eventually managed to croak out. “Definitely not those.”

 

In the corner of his eye, Phichit noticed the stranger fidget around nervously, still trying to figure out if this was all real or not.

 

Leaning over the counter, Phichit flicked Yuuri’s nose in a teasing manner. “Killjoy,” he pouted. “Anyway, tell me about your week- we barely are able to see each other, and you can only say so much through texting.”

 

Thankfully, Yuuri got his confidence back and started to talk about his day, summing up his volunteer work in the local hospital, the dreaded biology lectures and how he caught Leo pondering over buying flowers for his and Guang Hong’s five-year-anniversary. By the time the clock had hit six and Leo took over Yuuri’s shift, the stranger had left.

 

“Send Guang Hong my greetings,” Leo waved them off.

 

Stepping outside, Phichit almost welcomed the March weather. The tension and nerves made an already cosily warm shop suffocating warm, and he had been craving for fresh air.

 

Stretching his sore limbs, Phichit shot Yuuri a smile. “Well, time to get home, dinner is probably ready, and I’m starving.”

 

Yuuri had an unsure smile on his face. Shit, Phichit probably had made him uncomfortable, good job smooth guy.

 

“Thanks!” Yuuri suddenly blurted out. “Thank you so much. He had been bothering me for a while, but as long as there were others, he behaved himself. But it’s rarely busy during dinner time so-” stumbling over his words, Yuuri seemed to be on the verge of having a panic attack. “I didn’t know what to do, and you live close-by and-”

 

“Yuuri, it’s okay,” Phichit resisted the urge to reach out, hold Yuuri’s wrist. Yuuri was obviously panicking, and in all honesty, Phichit had no idea how to handle it. “I don’t mind, really...” this did little to calm Yuuri down. Okay, next approach. “Can I hug you?”

 

Yuuri seemed to be clearly taken aback by Phichit’s question. Shaking all over, the student nodded. Taking a deep breath, this was purely platonic, Phichit pulled Yuuri into a comforting hug.

 

Burying his forehead against Yuuri’s shoulder, Phichit started to gently stroke the other man’s back, muttering soft reassurances. “If it happens ever again, you text me. Timing doesn’t matter,” he murmured, running his fingers over Yuuri’s spine. “It will be all right.”

 

After a while, Yuuri started to relax, face buried in the crook of Phichit’s neck. A few passerby were looking at them with curiosity, but most of them left them be, thankfully.

 

“If you want,” Phichit started, hoping that he wasn’t pushing too much. “You can stay for dinner. I always twice the amount to freeze it in, so there is plenty. Guang Hong wouldn’t mind. Unless you don’t like stir-fry, of course.”

 

A weak laughter left Yuuri’s throat, and the barista tightened the hug. “I would love to,” he muttered against Phichit’s neck, sending chills down his spine. “I can’t thank you enough for this.”

 

Laughing, Phichit patted Yuuri’s back. “Don’t sweat it, okay? It was no issue, at all,” he hesitated. “I’m happy you texted- thank you,” _thank you for trusting me enough._

 

~*~

 

Staring at his laptop with bleary eyes, Phichit mindless shifted around with the filters, trying to find the right balance between ‘the colours are too dull’ and ‘the colours are too bright’. He loved photography, he really did, it was just the editing that was an absolute pain in the ass.

 

“You look like dead,” someone commented, pushing a foam cup against his right hand. “It’s on the house.”

 

Looking up, Phichit was greeted by a smiling Yuuri. The latter had pulled a chair and had sat down next to him. By the looks of it, Yuuri was off the clock, the godawful apron the employers had to wear was nowhere in sight.

 

Carefully wrapping his fingers around the cup, Phichit took a tentative sip. He knew that Yuuri wouldn’t feed him anything weird, but he wasn’t going to burn his tongue off by being reckless. “Thanks,” he muttered, nibbling the lid out of habit. “For the coffee, not for the insult.”

 

No matter how often he heard it, Phichit simply couldn’t get over Yuuri’s laugh. It wasn’t loud and full of joy; it was much more subtle. A soft melodic ring, muffled snorts and an endearing blush that probably was out of embarrassment. “Well, just pointing out the obvious,” Yuuri answered cheekily. “But, I have a question for you.”

 

Saving the file a few times just to be safe, Phichit closed his laptop and gave Yuuri his full attention. “Shoot.”

 

“Are you free this weekend?” the question was hurried. The previous blush that had only stained Yuuri’s cheeks now also painted his neck and probably ears red. It sounded almost like Yuuri was asking him out.

 

“Depends,” Phichit waggled his eyebrows in an exaggerated fashion. “If you’re asking me out on a date than the answer is yes.”

 

Somehow, it was possible for Yuuri’s face to grow ever redder, like, fire truck red. Yuuri looked lost for words, eyes blown wide, mouth opening and closing like a fish on land.

 

Realising that he might have pushed it too far, Phichit held up his arms in a surrender-like fashion. “Kidding,” he said hurriedly, chuckling nervously. “But yes- I’m free. Well, not for an entire day, I have a morning shift on Saturday and a morning and afternoon shift on Sunday, but I’m off for the rest of the days.”

 

Visibly relaxing, Yuuri pulled out what looked like movie tickets. “Well, since you’re free, would you like to go to the movies with me?” that sounded like an awful lot like a date.

 

“As a thank you,” Yuuri added in a hurry, running his hand through his mop of black hair. “For everything you’ve been doing for. I mean, free caffeine isn’t exactly a proper payment for all the things you have done for me- like, straight up flirting with a guy must have been very uncomfortable and all.”

 

Ah, Yuuri was referring back to that. Maybe only a week or two had passed since then, and neither of them had brought it up. Phichit didn’t felt the need to, as he already had assured Yuuri he hadn’t minded. Yuuri, however, clearly wasn’t convinced about it, probably still feeling guilty for asking a presumingly straight man to flirt with him.

 

“Yuuri, babe,” he drew out, grinning as Yuuri let out a soft choking noise. “I have _dated_ guys before. Flirting with a guy is nothing new.”

 

Now Yuuri looked downright shocked. “Wait, rewind,” the student almost sounded out of breath. “You aren’t straight?”

 

Oh dear, Yuuri thought he was straight. “Yuuri, I wear eyeliner- Guang Hong says that I have a better fashion sense than he has and he’s a full-blown _gay,_ and I’m only like, fifty percent gay?” was he fifty percent gay? In all honesty, he liked men more than women, so maybe he was like, seventy percent gay and thirty percent straight? Oh well, he was at least one-hundred percent pansexual.

 

“How can you only be fifty percent gay?” Yuuri asked breathlessly, a faint hit of laughter bubbling through.

 

“Not sure- anyway, I’m pansexual so yeah, I’m not exactly straight,” he hated how nervous he sounded. He doubted that Yuuri would have issues with it, Leo was bisexual, Guang Hong was gay, and if he had to believe said gay, Yuuri was also gay. Still, it didn’t make him less nervous.

 

“Well, I’m one-hundred percent gay,” Yuuri admitted, a nervous smile playing on his lips. “Though I think it was pretty obvious.”

 

It hadn’t been obvious, at all. It was that Guang Hong had told him _and_ a guy had been flirting with Yuuri. Otherwise, Phichit would have expected that Yuuri was straight. “Less obvious than me not being straight, but, back to the movie, which one is it?”

 

Any nerves or discomfort evaporated. An excited glint shone brightly in Yuuri’s eyes as he smoothed out the tickets. “I’m not sure if it’s your cup of tea,” he admitted though thankfully, his excitement didn’t falter. “But I have been dying to watch this movie, I have been stupidly obsessive with the soundtrack since, well, forever.”

 

No fucking way. “Are those tickets for Beauty and the Beast?” Phichit asked almost breathlessly. Could he marry this man already? He had been dying to see the movie for ages, but nobody wanted to go with him.

 

“Yes, for the showing for this Saturday evening,” it seemed that the nerves had snuck up on Yuuri, as the student’s voice was trembling slightly. “Uhm, you don’t mind? We could also go to another movie if you want.”

 

“Are you kidding me!” Phichit exclaimed, mindlessly grabbing Yuuri’s hands in his excitement. “I have been _dying_ to see that movie, but all my friends either aren’t interested or go with their significant other, nobody wanted to go with me.”

 

For a brief moment, Yuuri looked like he was stripped from all emotions, maybe slightly stunned but the pre-med student was unreadable. Thankfully, the blank canvas that was Yuuri’s face melted away and a bright smile curled on his lips.

 

“I take that as a yes,” Yuuri said excitedly. Thankfully, he didn’t pull his hands away from Phichit’s in disgust or discomfort. Maybe Yuuri was too happy to care, or he saw it as plain friendly banter. “That’s so great- I thought I had to sit this one out because nobody wanted to go with me.”

 

Squeezing Yuuri’s hands softly, Phichit offered him a brilliantly bright smile. “Same.”

 

~*~  


“Have a good day!” Phichit happily waved off the customer, who in turn grew slightly flustered and basically dashed out of the shop, though not unhappy.

 

The girl had visited at least weekly for about two months, always buying something new. He wasn’t complaining, it was good for businesses, and even without Phichit, she probably would have bought her books here. After all, it was the only bookshop close to the school that offered study books, books for leisure and an order system that could rival Amazon. Also, prices that almost could rival Amazon. The books were a tad a pricier, but they weren’t doing really bad.

 

“She just wants your number, you know?” his co-workers pointed out, not even looking up from his homework. “Just give it to her, and she’ll be happy.”

 

Rolling his eyes, Phichit shook his head, casually leaning against the counter. It was a slow day; the shitty May weather wasn’t helping much either. “Not interested in her- I don’t want to give her hope.”

 

His co-worker shrugged. “Well, that’s one way to put it,” he admitted. “Though thankfully you do realise she comes back for you each time.”

 

“Of course I do, one of my friends is an avid reader- he rarely leaves a bookstore with less than three books,” in all honesty, that was barely in exaggeration. Once, only once, Phichit had agreed to visit the bookshop with Yuuri. After three hours of Phichit being bored and Yuuri being in paradise, the pre-med student had left the store loaded with books. That must have hurt his wallet significantly.

 

To his annoyance, his coworker just smirked. “Oh, _that_ friend. Your pining is hurtful, you know,” he officially hated working in a bookstore.

 

“Just shove it,” Phichit muttered, desperately hoping that someone would drop by. His co-worker hadn’t even _met_ Yuuri, yet it seemed he knew all about him. Or maybe Phichit just babbled too much.

 

Childishly, his co-worker stuck out his tongue and returned to his homework. Okay, he didn’t hate working in a bookstore- it was at least low pressure and paid well.

 

The bell chimed as someone basically dived inside the store. It seemed that the weather had taken a turn for the worse, bearing in mind that the customer looked pretty soaked. Hair almost midnight black and messy, face rosy coloured due to the harsh rain and glasses completely fogged up. Ah, he knew this customer.

 

“Good afternoon!” Phichit chimed, offering the soaked man an easy smile. “How can I help you?”

 

As the customer walked up to the counter, Phichit saw his co-worker sneaking a curious glance his way. Usually, Phichit didn’t haul customers right to the counter, it was much easier to let them roam around the store and let them come to the counter themselves if they needed something.

 

“Better weather would help,” the customer muttered, pushing his hair out of his face. “Also I would kill for a towel right now.”

 

Grinning at the honesty in the customer’s voice, Phichit picked up his bag and took a clean towel out of it. He had expected this weather beforehand, so he came prepared. After all, the last thing he wanted was standing behind the counter dripping like a wet dog.

 

“There you go,” Phichit chimed happily, pushing the towel into the other’s hands. Happily, the student buried his face in the fluffy fabric, nuzzling it to his heart content.

 

“So,” Phichit drew out, flipping an unnoticed bird at his way too curious co-worker. “What brings you here on this lovely May day?”

 

Placing the towel on his mop of black hair, Yuuri threw a glare his way. “I even texted you to ask if the book was in the store already.”

 

Letting out a chuckle, Phichit ducked behind the counter and carefully picked up the book Yuuri had ordered. “I know,” he admitted, placing the brand new book on the counter. “But I like teasing you.”

 

All of Yuuri’s annoyance melted away as snow for the sun. Wiping his damp hands off on the towel, Yuuri excitedly picked up the book, eyes sparkling bright. “I have been waiting an entire year for this stupid book,” he said excitedly, holding it like he was holding a new-born baby. “I think I could cry.”

 

Not even impressed by Yuuri’s antics, Phichit grabbed the tissue box from underneath the counter and placed it on the surface. “Just in case,” he added, throwing a wink into the mix. “I mean; you never know for sure. You wouldn’t be the first person who would stand here crying over a book.”

 

“And one year isn’t too bad,” his co-worker chimed in, a devilish smile on his face. “Talk to the Games of Thrones fan- they’re the one who suffer.”

 

A sad look crossed Yuuri’s face. It seemed Yuuri was one of them. Thankfully, the sad look didn’t linger long as Yuuri started to flick through the book, eyes happily scanning over the first few pages. Then, he froze, eyes staring at the pages in shock.

 

“Phichit,” Yuuri started slowly. “What did you do?”

 

His co-worker looked like he was watching his favourite show, which it kind of started to feel like. Yuuri, on the other hand, was still looking at the pages in surprise.

 

“Well...” he started slowly. “You remember that my family lives in New York, right? I knew you were a big fan of the writer, and he was having a signing close to where my family lives, so I asked my siblings of a favour to get the book signed. Hence why it was a few days later than the original release date. We already had them earlier but-” he gestured to the book Yuuri was holding. “This one had to come from New York, so it took a bit longer. But I can give you a normal one if you want- I mean-”

 

That would have been the ideal moment for Yuuri to shut him up with a kiss, but sadly reality was rarely ideal. After all, he had to keep in mind that Yuuri probably wasn’t even romantically interested in him. Why would he? Phichit was better friend material than boyfriend material, someone you always could count on, but you didn’t have to spend time with them every waking second. A good friend. But, in the end, a hug was more than what Phichit could’ve asked for, so he wasn’t exactly complaining.

 

“You’re a fucking idiot,” it was almost heartwarming to hear Yuuri curse. “I swear, you’re too good for this world.”

 

In all honesty, Phichit doubted that, but he wasn’t going to ruin Yuuri’s sappy mood.

 

“It’s just a book,” he mumbled, awkwardly patting his friend’s wet back. He should fully return the hug, but the counter didn’t make it easy, plus he probably would be too pushy. He probably was already pushing his luck with the book, not that he wouldn’t have done it for anyone else. If Guang Hong had been the avid reader, he would have done the same. Well, actually, he would have given Leo the credits. After all, he didn’t need credits, as long as his friends were happy he was happy.

 

The hug lasted a tad too long, Yuuri’s warmth and scent lingered around him like a thin blanket. “Thank you so much,” Yuuri whispered, pushing his hair out of his face. “I- I do need to go through,” he added nervously. “My shift starts soon- I just wanted to pick up along the way.”

 

Ignoring the regret of seeing Yuuri go, Phichit mechanically went through the routine of scanning the barcode, exchanging money and handing Yuuri the receipt and a plastic bag to keep his book safe.

 

With a small smile, Phichit waved his friend goodbye, glad that there was no-one else except his co-worker to his pitiful state.

 

“You should have hugged back,” his coworker immediately pointed out, voice surprisingly gentle. “Though, in all honesty, he looked inches away from kissing you straight on the lips.”

 

“Sure,” he not so subtly kicked his coworker’s leg. “He wants to kiss me and pigs can fly, seriously, he isn’t interested,” he grumbled, feeling more disappointed than anything. Friendships were nice, they definitely were nice, but it was hard to be just friend with someone you were head over heels in love with.

 

Suddenly, his world stopped turning. Did he just actually drop the L-word. Did he seriously think he was in love with Yuuri? They knew each other for about half-a-year, a ‘love you’ couldn’t come out of such short span of time together.

 

“He’s going to be the death of me,” Phichit groaned, burying his face in his hands.

 

His co-worker clicked his tongue in annoyance. “You’re going to be the death of yourself. I mean, I never have seen you hold back like that, if it had been me, you would’ve hugged me right back, ruffle my hair and tell me with a bright smile that it was nothing. I swear, just-” a frustrated noise escaped his co-worker’s mouth. “Just try for fuck’s sake, or stop whining about it. But don’t act like a kicked puppy while you’re the one holding back.”

 

~*~

 

Life liked to throw curveballs at him. His inability to keep a proper romantic relationship with someone, the fact that his laptop crashed a week before he had to hand in his final assignment and foremost, the fact he had officially fallen in love with a guy who way out of his league and wasn’t interested in anything beyond friendship. Though in all honesty, it seemed that the last statement might not be exactly right, or life was throwing another curveball at him.

 

Because one moment they were just watching a movie and the other moment Yuuri was basically sitting his lap and was kissing the living daylight out of him. Yeah, life really liked to throw curveballs at him, though right now, he wasn’t sure if he minded the curveball.

 

~*~

 

It was weird to realise that the summer was only a few weeks away. The last exams were done, final assignments were handed in, and now all the students could do was nervously wait for their grade.

 

“Think you’re going to make it?” Phichit questioned, lounging on Yuuri’s worn-out couch. The latter had invited Phichit to continue their Harry Potter marathon, which they had to postpone due to the sudden work load that was thrown their way.

 

“You never know for sure,” Yuuri pointed out, digging through the cabinets to for reasonable clean bowls. “But I’ve got a good feeling about it- I mean, I think I did well in Biology, and that was the one I feared the most. What about you?”

 

“I’m forever going to kiss Emil’s ass for being some kind of computer wizard. I swear, I thought I would never see my final assignment again,” of course because life was such a nice thing, his laptop had died on him a week before his final assignment had to be handed in. It was weeks’ worth of stuff he definitely couldn’t replace within the span of one week, not to mention he had plenty of other subjects to study for, like _Literature_. Because if you want to become a photographer, you had to know the essence of Romeo and Juliet, which was basically ‘communication is key’.

 

“And Literature?” Yuuri plopped down next to him, handing him a bowl of popcorn and a few cans of soda.

 

“I survived, I think,” who was he kidding, Literature was still haunting his dreams although he knew he did well on the test. “Your tutoring had helped loads- not that I’ll remember a lot about anything Shakespeare related in the future.”

 

Yuuri chuckled and reassuringly patted his leg. “Sometimes it’s just about passing your exams and doesn’t look back.”

 

“Yeah, but enough school,” he playfully nudged Yuuri’s side. “We can’t change a single thing; I have been dying to see this movie- The Goblet of Fire is my favourite.”

 

“The Goblet of Fire is pretty cool,” Yuuri admitted, an excited look dancing in his eyes. It was great to finally have someone who actually appreciated the movies- Guang Hong was more of a rom-com kind of guy, and Leo liked pretty much everything, but adored only a few.

 

The movie itself went pretty smoothly all in all. Here and there Yuuri commented how it was inaccurate towards the book, following up by throwing a few ideas towards the story itself on how it would have been loads better. Surprisingly, Phichit enjoyed Yuuri complaining about the flaws in the movie, as it wasn’t in a nagging, I’m better than you way. It was nerdy, and his entire being was filled with excitement. Short story long, Yuuri loved to geek out over his favourite books, which also included pointing out flaws and throwing head canons around, some wilder than others.

 

“I hate how they let out most of Dobby’s character in the movies,” Phichit suddenly pointed out, slightly glaring at the screen. “In the books, it was Dobby who gave Harry the Gillyweed instead of Neville. I mean, if they kept him in the movie more, his death would have made much more impact than it did in the movie. I was a mess when he died in the books, I think Guang Hong-”

 

A rush of embarrassed flushed over him. Clicking his teeth together uncomfortably, Phichit realised _he_ was the one ranting about the movie. If Yuuri did it, it was cute. He probably was annoying.

 

To his surprise, Yuuri paused the movie, repositioning himself, so he was facing Phichit. Following his friend’s example, Phichit also repositioned himself, confronted with a surprised looking Yuuri. As the couch was pretty small, their knees touched, not that Phichit was paying much attention to that.

 

“You read the books?” the words were firmly laced with surprise and disbelief, an expected reaction.

 

“Not exactly,” Phichit admitted, slowly tearing his popcorn to pieces. “I’m not much of a reader, but I work a lot on my laptop, photo editing, some graphic design you know and I like some background noise, so I got my hands on the audio books and well...” okay, this was kind of embarrassing. He was telling Yuuri that he had been binge listening to the Harry Potter books and enjoyed them an awful lot, more than the movies.

 

Yuuri seemed slightly stunned by his confession. “Why the Harry Potter books though?”

 

“Well...” there goes nothing. “You said the books were loads better than the movies, so I decided to give them a shot.”

 

The boy opposite looked completely lost of words. “You actually, decided, to give them a shot because I said the books were better than the movies?”

 

Shrugging, Phichit offered Yuuri an unsure look. “Well, yeah, I mean,” he was convinced he looked like a tomato right now. “This way I could actually understand what you were talking about and talk with you, like share your interests and such.”

 

This might not have been the smartest thing to say. Maybe he was putting way too much effort in their relationship? It wasn’t like Yuuri was actually looking into Phichit’s interests himself- not that there was much to see. They pretty much shared their interest in movies, music and, well, honestly all pop-culture with each other. The only difference was that Yuuri loved books and Phichit was into photography. He did overstep a boundary, didn’t he?

 

“I’m sorry, I probably-” it seemed that sentence was doomed to be never finished.

 

A ‘fuck it’ flew past his ears, and in a matter of few seconds, Yuuri had thrown his arms around his neck and pulled him in a _literal_ breath-taking kiss. Because it felt like Yuuri had just knocked all air out of his lungs- though Phichit wasn’t sure whenever it was because of the kiss or the fact that he suddenly had Katsuki Yuuri mercilessly barrelling into him. Nevertheless, it didn’t change the fact that Yuuri was _kissing_ him.

 

Breathing sharply through his nose, he really needed the oxygen, Phichit willed his limbs to move. He wasn’t going to let this first kiss between them go to waste because he froze up in shock. Tilting his head slightly, he leant in for a better fit. His hands instinctively found a suitable place to rest, one funding purchase on the small of Yuuri’s back, pulling the pre-med student further into his lap. The other happily buried in Yuuri’s mop of black hair, which was as soft as he imagined it was.

 

The kiss lasted blissfully long, neither of them backing down. It was silly, this wasn’t the last kiss they would share. Still, it wasn’t like Phichit was the one pulling back, deciding that enough was enough. Because, after all, there was the fear that this was all a dream, a spell that would be broken the moment they stopped kissing.

 

Eventually, Yuuri leant slightly back, breaking off the kiss. The warmth of Yuuri’s chapped lips never left, lingering on Phichit’s bruised lips. Well, that was one hell of a kiss- maybe the best one he ever had. It might have helped that Yuuri was the first person he actually liked _romantically_ and wasn’t just a fling, a few weeks of cuddles and kisses before permanent farewells.

 

“I can’t believe you kissed back,” Yuuri breathed, resting his forehead against Phichit’s. “I can’t believe you _like_ me back.”

 

Removing his hand from Yuuri’s hair, Phichit gently brushed his thumb against the former’s cheek. “Same,” he muttered. “I mean, why me?”

 

“Why not?” for a brief moment, Yuuri broke all contact, giving Phichit the opportunity to duck his head, hiding his embarrassment. Having none of that, Yuuri’s hands gently cupped his face, tilting his head up till they made eye contact. “You’re one of the most wonderful people I met. You’re sweet, caring and sometimes, when you aren’t holding yourself back, shamelessly yourself. I hadn’t anyone care about me that much, in, well, ever,” Yuuri took a shaky breath, fingers trembling slightly. “I was a stranger, and you gave me free coffee, and I _know_ you’re short on cash. You were always willing to talk to me, while I’m usually a bore to talk with, too nerdy, too geeky, I heard those words plenty of times, which made it even stranger for someone like you to talk with me.”

 

Drawing his eyebrows together, Phichit threw Yuuri a confused look. “Someone like me?” in the way Yuuri had said it, Phichit must have been someone way out of Yuuri’s league, in a good way. But how could he be out of _Yuuri_ _’s_ league, Yuuri was the one who was way out his league. Smart, talented, _cute_.

 

“Charming, handsome, very social, a little bit of a hipster, everything that’s like the opposite of me and everything that is almost an ideal. I would kill to be more social, find it easier to talk with people, to be actually able to flirt properly,” Yuuri’s breath stuttered, eyes looking down at where Phichit had pressed a finger against his lips.

 

“An ideal?” Phichit questioned, laughing hollowly. “I’m everything but an ideal, idiot. Maybe I’m charming, but that hasn’t gotten me anywhere. Also, I find being charming easy if there is nothing at stake,” he gently ran his finger down Yuuri’s lips, chin and throat before letting it fall down. “With you, so much was at stake, because you were the first person who gave me that feeling I _couldn_ _’t_ screw up. I wanted to hold your hand and never let go- like in the Titanic. That scared me, because I never had felt like that before.”

 

Swallowing nervously, Phichit breathed deeply through his nose, trying to keep his cool, trying not to be swallowed in his nerves. “ _You_ were way out of my league. Cute, endearing. You aren’t pushy, you don’t make people uncomfortable. Then it turns out you’re a pre-med, you’re smart, almost brilliant, you love animals like crazy- I mean, you were bawling your eyes out when we were watching Hachi.”

 

“You cried too,” Yuuri pointed out, eyes already growing damp by only the thought of the movie.

 

“Yeah, I did, but that isn’t the point,” it still wasn’t easy to talk, not about his feelings, even if there were returned. “What I was trying to say is that I have no idea how I even managed to get you to notice me, like me, not to mention to get you crushing on me.”

 

“Because you took my hand and never let go,” Yuuri pressed a gentle kiss against Phichit’s lips, setting his heart on fire. “Because I could be my stupid, I daresay nerdy, self around you. You, someone who was way out of my league, decided to stick with me. Though, not just that, you genuinely cared about my interests, my hobbies. You-”

 

“Turned out to be just a big nerd?” Phichit couldn’t help but laugh a little. “You could have asked Guang Hong- actually, ask anyone who knows me somewhat well. That’s why none of my previous relationships worked out- they expected me to be this amazing person, but I’m just me, you know, someone who loves movies with a passion and spends ages perfecting their winged eyeliner.”

 

“You were everything I could wish for in a friend- in a possible partner. Someone who cares about _me_. Not my intellect, not the fact that I apparently look cute,” Phichit somewhat had to the feeling Yuuri wasn’t going to let him get away with that one. “You cared about _me_. You didn’t question me when I was having issues with that customer- or when I had a near panic-attack after. You didn’t think less of me, at all. And that is what made me fall for you- you being your shameless, caring self. If I flung myself in the sun, you would be there to catch me and hold me till all my worries have faded away.”

 

“How can you even fling yourself to the sun?” Phichit questioned jokily, but that did little to hide his beating heart, his uneven breathing or flustered face. All those things just felt right to do- he hadn’t thought about it twice how much it meant to Yuuri.

 

“But that’s all I can offer,” he eventually answered, voice shaking with nerves. “A relationship with me won’t offer much more than I already offer as a friend- so why go there? Why not find someone who can offer more as a boyfriend than just as a friend?”

 

Yuuri ruthlessly pinched his cheek, a scowl on his otherwise cute face. “Because everything you offer is what I seek in a boyfriend. Like, it’s like dating your best friend, the only thing that change is the intimacy- more cuddling, more hugging, more kissing. An excuse to spend days together to lounge around because hello, we’re _dating_ , no, our responsibilities can wait, we haven’t seen each other in eight _hours_.”

 

“Are we best friends?” Phichit questioned, but this time there was more hope in his voice. There was no use running in circles, beating himself up that he wasn’t good enough. Yuuri wanted him, romantically, for whatever reason. He should take the opportunity and figure out things later.

 

“Not yet,” Yuuri answered in all honesty. “But I feel like we soon will be- boyfriends and best friends, if you don’t mind,” there was hope in Yuuri’s voice, hope joined with fear. Fear that Phichit would say no.

 

Smiling, Phichit took hold of one Yuuri’s hands, gently pulling it away from his face and interlacing their fingers. It wasn’t a perfect fit- but a perfect fit was solely meant for fairy tales. Humans were imperfect creatures after all, at least, that was what Yuuri would have said if he made the remark that their fingers slotted together perfectly. “Falling in love with my best friend seems like some kind of a childhood dream come true,” he admitted, a lovesick smile curling on his lips. “Though I fear it’s already a bit too late for that?”

 

Yuuri quirked an eyebrow, throwing Phichit a soft look that whispered ‘explain’.

 

“Because I think I love you already, like, one day I realised that it wasn’t just a crush anymore, I actually had fallen for you, I think,” he didn’t felt all that embarrassed by admitting that. His face was on fire, for sure, but so was Yuuri’s face.

 

Squeezing their intertwined hands, Yuuri smiled brightly. “That makes two, loving someone has never felt this right before.”

 

“Well, I’m glad I’m worth your love.”

 

“You’re an idiot,” Yuuri teased. “You deserve all the love in the world.”

 

If a heart attack came right now and claimed him, Phichit wouldn’t even be mad. “To be honest, all the love I need is yours. I don’t need the world if I have you.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I shouldn't be editing after eleven- my brain is a mess. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments are appreciated per usual.


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